I am an internationally recognized leadership educator and executive coach, and serve as chair of leadership development at N2Growth. I am the author of more than a dozen books, including MOXIE: The Secret to Bold and Gutsy Leadership, Lead With Purpose, Leader's Pocket Guide, Lead Your Boss, and Great Motivation Secrets of Great Leaders. And I speak throughout North America and Europe. In 2014 Trust Across America named me to its list of Top 100 most trusted business experts, and Inc.com named me as a Top 50 expert in Leadership and Management. I have authored more than 500 leadership columns for a variety of online publications including CBS MoneyWatch, Harvard Business Review and Forbes. My leadership resource website is www.johnbaldoni.com.

How Todd Akin Flubbed His Apology

With those words, Todd Akin, U.S. Senate candidate for Missouri, struck fear into the hearts of Republicans, cheered Democrats, and insulted women everywhere.

Akin’s refusal to quit the race was made as part of his apology for a previous comment that women who endure “legitimate rape” do not get pregnant. Not only was his science wrong, his comments exhibited a patriarchal view of women’s reproductive rights.

Akin also committed the first sin of insincerity – making the apology about himself and not the people he has offended.

Misogyny aside, Akin made another mistake — one that is all too common in today’s “apologize and it will go away” culture. Akin has made himself the focus on his apology, not the millions of women he had insulted.

Akin also attempted to disavow his insult by claiming that he had used a poor choice of words. As Ben Franklin said, “Never ruin an apology with an excuse.” When you watch Akin apologize, you get the feeling that he cares more about his candidacy than he does about anything else.

Americans like a fighter but we also like a realist, one who can admit when he has erred and make amends. Akins mouthed an apology but his determination to stay in the senatorial race undermines his sincerity.

Akin is not alone. Too often when an individual with a high profile gets into difficulty he (and it is often male) apologizes without offering to make amends. Here are some examples:

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